Adjustable sash balance



Nov. 20, 1962 T. J. BEASLEY, JR, ET AL 3,064,306

ADJUSTABLE SASH BALANCE Filed July 11. 1960 FIG. I F1612 [-76.3

FIG. 5

FIG-6 INVENTORS moms .1. BEASLEY, UR. RICHARD P. RODENBAUGH.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Gfiice 3,064,305 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,664,306 ADJUSTABLE SASH BALANCE Thomas J. Beasley, 312, and Richard P. Rodenbaugh, Memphis, Tenn, assignors to Southern Metal Products Corporation, Memphis, Tenn.

Filed July 11, 196i Ser. No. 41,894 9 Claims. (Cl. 16-197) This invention relates to a sash balance and particularly to the adjustment means in a sash balance of the type utilizing a coiled spring to balance the sash in a window frame.

There have been various adjustment means heretofore contemplated for adjusting the tension of the balance spring in the above-mentioned type of installations, but these adjustment means have many disadvantages, among them being the possibility of the parts becoming separated when making the change from one setting to another. This is particularly true in the hook type of arrangements, wherein the end of the spring is selectively engaged on one of a plurality of hooks on a hanger, which, in turn, is attached to the sash. In this hook type, it will be understood that in changing from one hook to the next, the end of the spring can very easily slip from the grip of the person making the change whereupon the spring will fly up into the tubular housing causing possible damage to the spring and other parts of the window and making it necessary to disassemble the device to retrieve the end of the spring. Also, during assembly at the factory, if the end of the spring slips out of the assemblers grip there is the danger of the spring flying out the end of the tubular housing and possibly injuring someone. In addition, during the normal raising and lowering of the sash, there is the danger of the end of the spring becoming disengaged from the hook. Also, in many of these previous adjustment means, it is difficult to make the change and is time consuming. Other of these adjustment means have parts which frequently catch on the balance spring causing damage thereto and causing the sash to operate noisily when raised orlowered.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming the above-mentioned and other disadvantages by providing a greatly improved adjustment means for changing the tension on a sash balance.

Thus, one of the important objects of the present invention is to provide an adjustment means for a sash balance which is completely safe to adjust.

A further object is to provide such an adjustment means which is quick and easy to adjust.

A further object is to provide such an adjustment means which is completely safe during the operation of the sash since it is impossible for the parts to separate.

A further object is to provide such an adjustment means which is strong in construction and economical to manufacture.

A further object is to provide such an adjustment means which is smooth in operation and so arranged that none of the parts thereof can catch on the main body of the balance spring.

A further object is to provide such an adjustment means which provides both a fine and a coarse adjustment.

A further object is to proivde in such an adjustment means an improved unitary construction of the lower portion of the hanger thereof.

A further object is, generally, to improve the design and construction of adjustment means for sash balances.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational View of a window construction utilizing the present invention, and with parts being broken away for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the present invention, with only a fragmentary part being shown.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device of FIG. 5, as viewed from a position degrees relative to the position from which it is viewed in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged sectional view taken as on the line VIIV1I of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as on the line VIII- VIII of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of another modified form of the hanger of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the typical Window installation with which the present invention is adapted to be utilized is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein it will be seen the window installation 11 comprises the usual window frame 13 having lower window sash 15 and upper window sash 17 slidably mounted therein. The usual weather strip 19 is provided in frame 13 adjacent the side edges of the window sashes, 15, 17; and the usual balance spring 21 is attached adjacent its upper end as at 23 to window frame 13 by suitable means and extends downwardly through a tubular member 25, which tubular member is attached to Weatherstrip 19. Balance spring 21 extends downwardly through the usual groove 27 provided in the edge of lower sash 15 and the spring is attached adjacent its lower end to the sash 15. It is towards the improvement of this attachment of balance spring 21 to the sash 15 that the present invention is directed and is described as follows:

Referring first to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 7, the lower end of spring 21 is provided with a reduced coiled spring portion 29, which forms an integral extension of the main body 31 of spring 21 and which is concentric with the main body but reduced in diameter relative thereto. The turns 33 of reduced portion 29 are spaced to establish a passage 35 therebetween spirally extending through the reduced portion from the bottom to the top thereof.

A hanger 37, which includes an elongated piece 39, preferably formed of a rod slightly smaller in outside diameter than the inside diameter of reduced portion 29, telescopically extends through the reduced portion and into the end of main body 31. Hanger 37, additionally, includes a foot member 41 adjacent the lower end thereof having a pair of oppositely extending horizontal portions 43 adapted to engage sash 15 adjacent the lower edge thereof as best seen in FIG. 2 to limit upward movement of piece 39 relative to the sash. Foot member 41 is preferably integral with piece 39 and is preferably formed by flattening the lower end of the piece and bending it in the manner best shown in FIG. 3 whereby laterally extending portions 43 are established by doubling the flattened bar back upon itself.

A plurality of protrusions 45 are provided on piece 39 in spaced relationship along the length thereof and are preferably staggered, that is, adjacent protrusions extend substantially in opposite directions from the piece. Between the protrusions 45, the piece 39 is completely smooth and uninterrupted as at portions 46. Protrusions 45 are preferably formed by performing a pinching operation on the piece 39. Each of the protrusions 45 extend outwardly from the piece 39 in overlapping relationship relative to reduced portion 29 as viewed from above or below the piece 39. It will be understood that elongated piece 39 is centered relative to main body 31 and the protrusions 45; which are enclosed by the main body, are spaced'therefrom so that there is no possibility of the protrusions snagging on the main body of the springtduring the operation or during the adjustment of the device.

In assembling hanger 37 with balance spring 21, the upper end 47 of piece 39 which is the end remote from foot member 41 is inserted into the lower end of reduced portion 29 and with the uppermost protrusion 45a engaged against the lower end of the reduced portion, the hanger 37'is turned in a direction to cause protrusion 45a to enter the lower end of passage 35 and to travel along the spiral path thereof. This motion may be continued until the protrusion 45a is above reduced portion 29. With the protrusion 45a above the portion 29, it will be understood that the hanger. 37 may be quickly moved lengthwise upwardly with a smooth portion 46 slidably engaging reduced portion 29 until the next protrusion 45b is in engagement with reduced portion 29 whereupon hanger 37 may be turned as heretofore-described to cause protrusion 45b to move along passage 35 and into a position above the reduced portion. This same procedure may be carried out relative to the other protrusions 45, and each time the hanger 37 is moved upwardly and then turned to cause the protrusion to travel through the reduced portion 29. It is to be noted that each movement upwardly of hanger 37 relative to reduced portion 29' will cause an increase in the tension of spring 21,'when foot member 41 is in place on sash 15. It will be understood that by manipulating hanger 37 until the desired protrusion 45 is in the proper position relative to reduced portion 29, balance spring 21 can be .adjusted to the desired tension. In addition, it will be understood that the tension on spring 21 may be reduced by performing substantially the reverse of the above-described tension increasing operation. It will also be understood that for fine adjustments, a protrusion 45 may be disposed at a desired place intermediate the upper and lower ends of reduced portion 29, as for example, like the protrusion 45b shown in FIG. 3. After the hanger 37 is moved to the desired adjusted position relative to spring 21, as above-described, the foot member 41 of the hanger is slipped in place below the lower edge of lower sash 15, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

-It should be noted at this point that when the term interlocked position is used relative to a protrusion and the reduced portion, it is understood to mean that the particular protrusion in coaction with the reduced portion limits separating movement of the hanger and the balance spring, which occurs when the protrusion is either above the reduced portion or somewhere along the passage of the reduced portion. Also, when the term freed position is used relative to a protrusion and the reduced portion, it is understood to mean that the particular protrusion is above or below the reduced portion and unrestrained thereby.

It Will be understood from the above-description that the device of the present invention provides a quick and easy adjustment, and one that is completely safe when moving from one adjustment position to the next because there is no possibility of the end of spring 21 becoming disengagedfrom hanger 37, as long as one of the'protrusions is above reduced portion 29. This same thing holds true during the raising and lowering of the window sash since there is no way for the hanger 37 to become disengaged from the spring 21 without being turned and this turning movement is impossible since the lower end of the hanger member is held stationary by the frictional engagement of foot member 41 with the lower edge of the sash 15, with this frictional engagement being due to the tension of spring 21. Also, it willbe understood that the device of the present invention is smooth in operation due to the smooth sliding of piece 39 in reduced portion 29, and due to the fact that it is perfectly centered relative to the center of spring 21.

Instead of the protrusions being formed by making pinched portions in the elongated piece 39, the protrusions may be formed as a plurality of threaded portions 49 spaced along thepiece and adapted to threadedly engage reduced portion 29 so that the threads may be caused to move through passage 35 when the elongated piece 39 is turned as heretofore described. This embodiment operates in substantially the same manner as heretofore described for the preferred embodiment.

Also, elongated piece 39 may be in the form of a flat elongated bar 51, as best shown in FIG. 4, in which case the protrusions are preferably in the form of prongs 53 having squared ends and formed integral with bar '51, as best seen in this figure.

Instead of the reduced portion being in the 'form of a reduced coil spring as heretofore described, the reduced portion may be in the form of a reduced diameter loop 65 which is preferably formed integral with and spaced below the lower end of main body 31 by extending the spring vertically downward as at the portion 67 and thence bending the wire of the spring in a circular form extending in a horizontal plane spaced below the lower end of main body 31. The end of the wire is then bent upwardly in spaced relation to vertical portion 67 as at 69 to establish a vertical passage 71. With the reduced portion formed as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the elongated piece to be used in conjunction therewith is preferably formed of a rod 73 slightly smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of loop 65 and the protrusions are formed by squeezing the rod inwardly on opposite sides to establish bulges 75 which are thinner in cross section than the main body of rod 73, as best seen in FIG. 5.

It will be understood that the modification shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8 operates in'a similar manner to the other embodiments with the bulges 75, when in the position shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, preventing separating movement of rod 73 and loop 65. The vertical portion 69 presses [against the flattened face 76- of the bulge 75 which is held by loop 65, as best seen in FIG. 5, whereby the rod 73 is prevented from accidental turning movement when in use. In order to pass one of bulges 75 through reduced loop 65, it will be understood that it is only necessary to turn rod 73 until the bulge is in alignment with passage 71 and thence the rod may be moved in a generally lengthwise direction to cause the bulge to pass through the passage. It will be understood that a slight angular disposition of rod 73 relative to loop 65 is necessary so that the bulge on the opposite side of the rod from the bulge which is moving through the passage, is permitted to move downwardly or upwardly past loop 65.

Although in the drawings and in the foregoing description only a balance spring 21 for the lower sash 15 has been shown and described, it will be understood that the upper sash 17 is also usually provided with a balance spring, and the present invention is equally applicable thereto.

Although the invention has been described in some de tail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity or understanding, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. In a sash balance of the type having a balance spring, means for adjustably coupling said spring with said sash comprising a reduced portion provided adjacent the lower end of said spring, an elongated piece telescopically extending into said reduced portion, a plurality of protrusions on said piece extending outwardly therefrom in spaced relationship along the length thereof, said piece being movable to a selected one of a plurality of interlocked positions in which separating movement of said piece from said spring is limited by one of said protrusions, said reduced portion being provided with a passage through which each of said protrusions is adapted to pass in moving the protrusion from an interlocked position relative to said reduced portion to a freed position below said reduced portion, said protrusions when positioned above said reduced portion being in overlapping relationship thereto thereby being adapted to limit separating movement of said piece and said spring, said piece being freely movable lengthwise for a limited amount in said reduced portion when none of said protrusions are in an interlocked position whereby when at least one of said protrusions is above said reduced portion said piece is adapted to be quickly moved lengthwise through said limited amount towards a selected interlocked position without the possibility of accidental separation of said piece and said spring, and means for attaching said piece to said sash.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said reduced portion comprising a loop forming an extension of the main body of said spring and spaced therebelow, and said loop having a smaller diameter than the main body of the spring.

3. The structure according to claim 2 wherein said piece includes a flattened face and said loop includes a portion bearing against said flattened face to prevent accidental turning of said piece relative to said loop.

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said reduced portion comprises a coiled spring portion forming a concentric extension of the main body of said spring and said coiled spring portion having a smaller diameter than the main body of said spring.

5. In a sash balance of the type having a coiled balance spring, means for adjustably coupling said spring with said sash comprising a reduced coiled spring portion pr0 vidcd adjacent the lower end of said spring, said reduced portion being concentric with the main body of said spring and forming an extension reduced in diameter relative to the main body of the spring, said reduced portion having spaced turns to establish a passage therebetween spirally extending through the reduced portion from the botton to the top thereof, an elongated piece slidably and telescopically extending into said reduced portion, means for attaching said piece to said sash, a first protrusion on said piece extending outwardly therefrom in overlapping relationship relative to the top of said reduced portion thereby being adapted to limit separating movement of said piece and said spring, said first protrusion being spaced from the main body of said spring whereby said piece carrying with it said first protrusion is adapted to be freely moved vertically upward further into the main body of said spring, a second protrusion on said piece extending outwardly therefrom and being disposed at a spaced and lower position on said piece relative to said first protrusion, said second protrusion overlapping said reduced portion whereby said second protrusion is adapted to limit said vertical movement of said piece by engagement with said reduced portion, said second protrusion being threadedly engageable with said reduced portion whereby turn of said piece with said second protrusion in engagement with said reduced portion is etfective to cause said second protrusion to move into selected positions along said passage and to a position above said reduced portion thereby providing means for varying the tension of said sash balance without the possibility of accidental separation of said piece and said spring.

6. The structure according to claim 5 wherein said first and second protrusions respectively comprise threaded portions.

7. In a sash balance of the type having a balance spring, means for adjustably coupling said spring with said sash comprising a reduced portion provided adjacent the lower end of said spring, an elongated piece telescopically extending into said reduced portion, a plurality of protrusions on said piece extending outwardly therefrom in spaced relationship along the length thereof, said reduced portion having a passage therein through which said protrusions are adapted to pass whereby without detaching said piece from said spring said piece can be moved relative to said spring, each of said protrusions being respectively movable relative to said reduced portion between an interlocked position in which the protrusion limits separating movement of said piece from said spring and a position below said reduced portion, said piece being uninterrupted between said protrusions to establish uninterrupted portions adapted to slidably extend through said reduced portion, and means for coupling said piece adjacent the lower end thereof to said sash.

8. In a sash balance of the type having a balance spring, means for adjustably coupling said spring with said sash comprising a reduced portion provided adjacent the lower end of said spring, an elongated piece telescopically and slidably extending into said reduced portion, a plurality of means provided on said piece for selectively cooperating with said reduced portion by turning movement of said piece to hold said piece in a selected one of a plurality of adjusted positions interlocked with said reduced portion, said means being spaced apart on said piece and said piece having a smooth uninterrupted portion between adjacent ones of said means whereby said piece is adapted to be moved quickly lengthwise in moving between interlocked positions, at least one of said means being disposed in overlapping relationship above said reduced portion during adjustment of said piece whereby accidental separation of said piece and said reduced portion is prevented.

9. The structure according to claim 7 wherein the means for coupling said elongated piece to said sash com prises a foot member integral with said piece, said foot member having the material thereof in a flattened form and being doubled back upon itself to establish laterally extending portions adapted to engage said sash adjacent the lower edge thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,494,849 Lister May 20, 1924 1,524,616 Erpenbeck Jan. 27, 1925 1,695,454 Coyne Dec. 18, 1928 2,265,629 'Christiansen Dec. 9, 1941 2,329,463 Froelich Sept. 14, 1943 2,400,425 Libel May 14, 1946 2,885,725 Glass May 12, 1959 2,912,726 Goellner Nov. 17, 1959 2,939,170 Lundgren June 7, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 508,977 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1928 

